Malcolm Brogdon was happy to join the Portland Trail Blazers via trade this past summer. Part of that was Brogdon not feeling wanted in Boston.

"When I was first traded, I viewed it as an opportunity. I really did," Brogdon said. "You can ask people around me how my energy was in training camp. I was excited to be here. I was excited to be with a championship coach. And I was excited to go from a place where I wasn’t as valued, and go to place where I am very valued."

Brogdon was asked if that meant he didn't feel valued by the Celtics. He expanded a bit, while giving kudos to Chauncey Billups.

"At times. At times," Brogdon said. "I was there for a year, won Sixth Man of the Year, and they shipped me out. So like … I didn’t feel very valued there. Here, I feel valued. Portland has embraced me. And I’ve enjoyed being coached by Chauncey (Billups)."

Jrue Holiday's first half-season-plus with the Boston Celtics gone about as well as could have been expected. Holiday has played well and the Celtics have the NBA's best record.

Holiday says it's a relationship that he hopes will continue beyond this season.

“I’d like to be here,” Holiday told MassLive. “I feel like I’m getting more and more comfortable, loving the guys, loving the organization and loving the city.”

Holiday has one season left on his contract, but that final season is also a player option. The veteran guard will become extension-eligible with Boston in early-April. Holiday noted that his previous extension got done in-season. So, he's not worried about negotiating a new contract while the Celtics are preparing for a title run.

Holiday also referenced that Boston is set up to have their core together for a while.

“I think everybody kind of knows we’re set and we’re set for a long period,” Holiday said. “No matter what happens, you are going to come back here with the same guys for the most part. Things happen but I think you lock into that, being able to have that comfortability and just kind of that pressure off of you about what’s next.”

Kristaps Porzingis suffered a sprained ankle in the third quarter of the Boston Celtics' 143-110 win over the Miami Heat and did not return to the game.

Porzingis, who had 19 points at the time, said he did not think the sprain was serious.

"I just went to contest Bam's shot and just landed on his foot and rolled my ankle. Not too bad. Got me pretty good in the moment. But feeling pretty good now," said Porzingis after the game. 

The Boston Celtics are looking to upgrade its bench and depth in the trade window, sources told Jake Fischer of Yahoo! Sports.

The team is also likely to keep Luke Kornet past the January 10 deadline for guaranteed contracts.

The other non-guaranteed contracts are also likely to remain with the team as possible tradeable salaries. 

The Celtics also have a $6.25 million trade exception. 

If the Toronto Raptors decide to trade Pascal Siakam before the deadline, the Indiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings and Detroit Pistons are considered the three most probable landing spots.

The Pistons continue to signal to opposing executives that they have interest in adding to their team immediately despite their pronounced struggles this season.

The Atlanta Hawks, who had long been connected to Siakam, have essentially bowed out of the running as they look to reset their roster in other ways.

The Dallas Mavericks and Philadelphia 76ers have been mentioned as possible teams for Siakam, but lack the requisite pieces to trade to the Raptors. 

Similar to their return of Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett from the New York Knicks for OG Anunoby, the Raptors are continuing to prioritize young, established players with upside over future draft capital.

Chet Holmgren and Jaime Jaquez Jr. were named the Western and Eastern Conference Rookies of the Month for December.

Holmgren averaged 17.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks for the month, with Jaquez averaging 16.1 points and 3.8 rebounds.

Ty Lue and Joe Mazzulla were also named Coaches of the Month for December in their respective conferences.

Lue coached the Clippers to an 11-2 record, with Mazzulla's Celtics going 12-2.

Gordon Hayward was candid about why things didn't work out for a loaded 2018-19 Boston Celtics team. Hayward said it started with the team not being on the same page.

"In my eyes it was just, we all had too many agendas, and the agenda to win the whole thing was not the main one," Hayward said. "Not to blame anyone either, because I think it was all human nature."

Hayward went on to explain that from players returning from injuries, to young players who had stepped up the year prior, the Celtics were all pulling in different directions.

"I mean, I'm coming back from, the last season I played I was an All Star, so, I'm trying to prove that I'm still an All Star," Hayward said. "Kyrie (Irving) was hurt the year before, didn't miss the playoffs. So he's trying to prove this is still his team. Then you've got (Jayson Tatum) and Jaylen (Brown) and Terry (Rozier) coming off where they're all starting, make it to the Eastern Conference Finals a year before. They're all trying to prove, like, 'We've arrived.'"

Ultimately, Irving would leave following that season. Hayward would leave the Celtics after one more season. Hayward added that despite that Boston team being filled with talented players, that too many over them overlapped in skillsets.

"We had probably eight players who had career highs over 40, who were all arguably in their prime," Hayward said. "The other problem is there were too many of us in the exact same position. We all needed the ball, we all rocked with the ball, we all needed the ball."